Bill calls for statewide ban on smoking in public places

The Alabama Legislature is stepping up efforts to become a smoke-free state with the filing this week of a third bill that would ban smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants.
Proposed by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Indian Hills, House Bill 383 would implement stiffer fines than the current proposals – $100 for a first offense instead of $50.
Business owners and operators that violate the law would face fines up to $1,000 and possible revocation of permit or license for a third offense.
Unlike two similar bills sponsored by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, McClurkin’s proposal makes no exception for private clubs. In municipal smoke-free ordinances, some businesses have used the private-club exemption as a loophole to bypass the ban by claiming to be a private club.
McClurkin called Figures’ legislation, Senate Bill 198, “better than nothing.”
“It has some exemptions that I don’t particularly like,” she said.
While McClurkin’s bill is assigned to the House Committee on Health, Figures’ is already out of committee and could theoretically come up for a Senate vote as soon as the Rules Committee schedules one.
Figures also filed this session SB 197, which is nearly identical to SB 198 except it requires a constitutional amendment and thus a vote of the public.
Each of the bills would ban smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment.